A survival kit can prove as essential as it sounds, and you’d do well to take one with you on your next outing into the wilderness.
Not just fitting for emergencies though, a good survival kit will come with an array of useful tools and equipment which can get you out of a tough spot, wherever you may be.
There are survival kits to fit all needs, some which you will want with you all the time, and others just for the especially risky adventures.
In this article we’re going to explore what a survival kit actually is, its uses, how to determine what makes a great one, and then take a look at some of the best survival kits on the market.
What is a Survival Kit?
A survival kit is usually a packaged assortment of tools and gadgets which can help save you from potentially life-threatening situations.
Some of the items you can expect to find in a survival kit are compasses, knives, lines, fire starters, and parachute cords. While it will depend on the survival kit, you can expect each tool to serve you well in an emergency or survival situation.
You can also purchase these items separately of course – for example, we have these articles that cover each of these categories separately:
The Best Ferro Rod Firestarters
The Best Paracord Survival Bracelets
There are different types of survival kits too, such as long-term and short-term, but also kits which will come in handy for specific environments like the jungle for example.
As a result, it’s a good idea to consider where you’re heading and what you might need in that particular environment before you invest in a survival kit.
The uses of a survival kit range from navigation, to creating shelter, or even signalling for help in desperate situations.
Note that some of these kits include food and water – we call might refer to these are 72 hours survival kits because they mostly aim to sustain you for 72 hours. Some of the other survival kits on this list only include various survival tools and supplies, but don’t provide sustenance. Obviously, in those cases, you’ll want to pack your own food and water purification/filtration separately.
What makes a Great 72 Hour Survival Kit?
There are several factors to consider when looking for the right survival kit.
The first, as I’ve already touched upon, is where you intend to use the survival kit. A trip to the jungle is likely to come with different survival challenges than a hike in the mountains.
Aside from the context, there are a few other things to bear in mind before you go ahead and get yourself a survival kit.
The Size of the Kit
Survival kits not only vary in content, but also in size. For this reason, it’s important to think about the logistics of your trip, and how much you can and should feasibly take with you.
Of course, the length of your trip will be a big deciding factor in the size of the survival kit needed, but you should also factor in difficulty.
Imagine a scenario in which you can’t go as far as you’d like because you are being weighed down by emergency supplies, this is obviously not ideal, so you want to be conscious of how much you can take with you.
Backpack survival kits are popular with outdoor enthusiasts because they combine everything into one convenient place.
Food & Water Supply
Another important factor that should influence your decision is how much food the survival kit contains.
The amount of food necessary for a survival kit for the house, and a survival kit for a week-long trek is going to be different, so plan accordingly.
If you are heading out into nature with a group, it might be best to pack extra emergency supplies, so that if someone else needs the food you will still have some remaining.
Clean drinking water is also an important factor to consider. The best 72 hour survival kit, if it promises to cover all needs, should include either a way to filter water, or a way to purify water (purification tablets).
Temperature
Temperature is the last important factor to consider, since colder climates require the inclusion of blankets or insulators, and hotter ones might require different equipment.
Being caught out in the rain or cold can be a recipe for disaster if you’re not fully prepared, so having a survival kit on-hand can be a genuine life-saver.
If the climate is hot, extra water surely wouldn’t go amiss.
The 6 Best Survival Kits To Get You Through a Disaster
Features:
- 100% waterproof
- External pockets
- Made using 600D dual-coated tarpaulin
- Includes a huge inventory of tools and emergency equipment
The first survival kit is the excellent Seventy2 Pro Survival System from Uncharted Supply Co, which has your back in the 4 most important things for survival: air, shelter, water, and food.
Within this incredibly robust backpack you will find a whole host of useful survival tools such as a knife, a tent, a water filter, matches, and so much more.
Built to be 100% waterproof, and withstand extreme conditions and harsh environments, this backpack survival kit is for anyone who has a healthy budget and is looking for the best, most extensive, emergency kit they can get their hands on.
Check price of the Uncharted Supply Co Seventy2 Survival System Pro
- Perfect for all weather conditions
- Built to last
- Includes everything you could possibly need for a survival situation
- Can be used as a regular backpack and has an external water bottle holder
- An expensive option
Features:
- Enough food and water to last 72 hours
- Backup light sources
- Durable and water-resistant backpack
- Emergency supplies
This Premium Emergency Survival Kit from Sustain Supply Co. provides everything you could possibly need in the first 72 hours following a disaster.
With a focus on premium quality products, this survival kit comes with plenty of food, water, and emergency items that could prove essential in the aftermath of a disaster.
Designed for 2 people, the kit is perfect to stow away at home for those unpredictable situations such as power outages, in which you can rely on the 3 different light source options to illuminate your home.
Check price of the Sustain Supply Co. 9-08400 Premium Emergency Survival Kit
- A complete survival kit
- Full of high-quality tools and supplies
- Ideal for ‘grab and go’ scenarios
- Comfortable, durable backpack
- The backpack zippers could be sturdier
Features:
- Includes 18 survival tools
- 6.3 x 4.3 x 1.9 inch kit
- Tools made from cold steel
The KOSIN Survival Gear kit includes 18 specialist tools which can help you out of a sticky situation.
With this kit, you’ll make light work of erecting shelter, signalling for help, and navigating your way around foreign environments.
This one is lightweight, making it a stellar option for any outdoor adventure, or as a emergency kit to keep in your car in case you should need it when you’re out and about.
Check price of the KOSIN Survival Gear
- Lightweight and portable
- Perfect for hiking/outdoor adventures
- Contains all survival essentials except for food
- Exceptional quality steel tools
- Tricky to get everything back into the case once removed
Features:
- Includes 18 survival tools
- 6.3 x 4.3 x 1.9 inch kit
- Tools made from cold steel
The KOSIN Survival Gear kit includes 18 specialist tools which can help you out of a sticky situation.
With this kit, you’ll make light work of erecting shelter, signalling for help, and navigating your way around foreign environments.
This one is lightweight, making it a stellar option for any outdoor adventure, or as a emergency kit to keep in your car in case you should need it when you’re out and about.
Check price of the Rescue Guard First Aid Disaster Survival Kit
- Lightweight and portable
- Perfect for hiking/outdoor adventures
- Contains all survival essentials except for food
- Exceptional quality steel tools
- Tricky to get everything back into the case once removed
Features:
- 18 pouches of long-lasting water
- 17 survival tools
- 9 pouches of food
The last survival kit we’re going to look at is the Emergency Essentials kit by Be Prepared.
This kit is designed to provide 72 hours’ worth of food, an abundance of water, and a large, robust backpack to carry the supplies around in.
You will also get a headlamp, some multi-function tools, and a handy first aid kit.
Check price of the Emergency Essentials 72 Hour Survival Kit
- Long-lasting supplies to keep at home
- A wide variety of survival tools
- Useful backpack
- Only contains the bare basics
Features:
- SUPOLOGY water filter straw
- A handful of survival tools
- 1.28 pounds in weight
This survival kit from SUPOLOGY includes their incredible filter straw which removes all harmful substances from water, allowing you to drink from any water source you encounter in the wild.
It also contains fantastic tools for creating shelter, or navigating difficult terrain, such as a survival knife, and a compass. This makes it ideal for outdoor expeditions.
Check price of the SUPOLOGY Emergency Survival Gear Kits
- Make the most of any local water source
- Makes it easy to erect shelter
- Good range of tools
- Some tools are lacking in quality
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Secrets of Survival has been around since 2002 (almost 20 years) and our survival knowledge is the real deal. We were writing and discussing survival and prepping before people even knew what the word “prepping” meant. We also preceded the trendiness of survival media nowadays… for example, we were arround before Bear Grylls filmed his first episode of Man vs Wild.Our contributors and writers over the years have included survival experts of all stripes – including a Green Beret Special Forces Medic, a former Navy SEAL, a leading survival instructor who’s been featured on National Geographic and PBS. Every article is either written or reviewed by someone who is an expert in either survivalism, prepping, or homesteading (or all three) and our goal is to be as practical and educational as possible.
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